Story Archives of 'Sexual Abuse'

State prosecutors and the Diocese of Manchester were before a Hillsborough County Superior Court Judge Yesterday. They argued the terms of the Diocese's 2002 settlement agreement over past sexual abuse by state Priests.

Last year Hanover writer Jodi Picoult wrote a novel called Perfect Match. It's now out in paperback. It's the story of a lawyer whose son is the victim of sexual abuse. A priest is accused of the crime and the lawyer shoots the priest during a court hearing. Then it turns out that the priest was innocent. It's a story of truth, justice, love and revenge and it leaves you wondering what you you would do.
This originally aired in May 2002.

Victims of clergy sexual abuse say Manchester Bishop John McCormack knows more than he?ll say about accused child molester Father Joseph Birmingham. A group of men are suing the Archdiocese of Boston over the alleged abuse at Massachusetts parishes over the course of 20 years. They held an emotional news conference in Manchester today to release documents that they say prove McCormack knew about the abuse... NHPR?s Raquel Maria Dillon was there.

TODAY?S SETTLEMENT MEANS THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE WILL NOT TRY TO CRIMINALLY INDICT THE DIOCESE OF MANCHESTER.

BUT WAS THE DEAL A GOOD ONE?

NHPR?S MARK BEVIS ASKED THAT QUESTION TO FRANKLIN PIERCE LAW PROFESSOR ALBERT SCHERR.

SCHERR TEACHES CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE.

The Catholic Diocese of Manchester held a ?listening session? in Keene last night to hear from Catholics concerned about clergy sexual abuse. The Diocesan Task Force on Sexual Misconduct Policy met with about 30 parishioners to gather feedback and answer questions. Bishop John McCormack appointed mostly lay people to the task force and asked them to evaluate the Diocese?s current policies ? in light of the recent scandals and the meeting of American Bishops in Dallas last June.
N-H-P-R?s Raquel Maria Dillon reports.